All Forum Posts by: Sam Leon

I would ask the city what their actions would be for non-payment.

Do they go chase after the tenant whose name is on the bill or they go after the property.

Where I am at in FL non payment would trigger a lien on the property no matter if the account is under the name of a tenant, a previous owner, or a realtor.  A new account cannot be activated without the previous balance zeroed out.  Some cities have started to require name on account being the owner and no one else.

I would just pay it and deduct against security deposit and move on.

I don't do holding deposits.  I don't see the advantage.

If someone applies, as soon as they are screened and approved I schedule a personal meeting within a week to go over the terms, sign the lease, and collect first, last and security.  Once the lease is signed we have a contract.  A tenant changing his/her mind after lease signing and taking occupancy is the same as someone breaking a lease three months in and subject to the early termination penalty option selected.

If the tenant is unable to sign lease and pay first last security within a week of application approval, I tell them I will set aside their application and continue to show and accept applications until they are ready to act.

If this is a student rental, he is probably not going to find a replacement to occupy until after the holidays.  If he can't find someone for the spring semester, he may be dealing with vacancy till the summer.

"I have a full time job and have been too busy to pay rent".

"I thought rent is not due for another month, didn't I just pay last month"?

"I didn't pay because I was waiting for you to ask me so we can have this conversation to explore the possibility of rent to own".

"I tried numerous times to pay, and Zelle won't let me" (this is after he paid successfully via ZellePay several times prior).

"I was out of town and I know you were out of town, I'd figured this can wait till we are both in town".

I also think of property locations and property conditions having different classifications.  In some older neighborhoods especially historic districts, the tenants look for older houses - they preferred the art deco bathroom tiles, the thick plaster & lath walls over granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

but class D neighborhoods are easiest to tell.  If you enter a neighborhood and you immediately lock all doors from the inside, and check to make sure your gun is loaded, you are in class D no doubt.

On the other hand, most class A+ neighborhoods as you drive through you cannot see the houses from the street.  The house is set way back at the end of a long winding driveway, the front is fully fenced for maximum privacy.  Occasionally through binoculars you may catch a glimpse of someone sitting on a porch, sipping a glass of mint julep, holding the glass with a white gloved hand with the pinky finger sticking up.

Don't know if this really works or not, but it seems to fit what you are asking for.  It's hardwired, so it can't be disabled easily (unless they turn the breaker off), it can be fitted with a tamper proof cage, and it can play custom messages "YOU HAVE BEEN CAUGHT SMOKING, OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, YOU HAVE 2 HOURS TO PACK YOUR BAGS!!!".

http://www.smokersensor.com/

A nicotine test from the wall has it's problems too.  A tenant intent on cheating would just question the method and application on it's use.  They would either claim whatever you detected on the wall was there before they moved in, something left by the last tenant.  Unless you completely repainted the walls and ceilings, and replaced all carpets and draperies. they will just say it's not from them unless you can show an identical test result claiming that spot tested negative when they moved in.

Or, they will just say they did smoke, outside the building, at work, or in their vehicles.  They didn't violate the non smoking clause, but the stuff clings to their clothing and hair.  So they may have leaned on the walls, sat on the floor and transferred things when they did so.  Is there any rules against leaning on a wall?

I see someone intentionally cheating and denying he/she smoked a difficult thing to pin down.  May be more likely to also ask neighbors who complained to help with the enforcement.

I have a multi unit building and in one of the apartments that I am turning over the range would not back all the way to the wall.  Turned out the electrical box is about 1.5" too high for the range bottom recess for the bulky plug.

Lowering the receptacle box is possible, but involve quite a bit of work because it's an older building, I have to open up thick plastered wall, the receptacle which is a 4-11/16" box mounted on top of a 1" EMT conduit coming up through the concrete slab at the end of a 90 degree bend with #6 conductors inside that I can't seem to pull or push.

What do you think?  Would you just leave it like that and call it a day, or would you do the extra work to get it to push all the way in?  Or would you wait till it's occupied and see if the tenant complains?

From a practical stand point I could see where some like to put salt pepper spice on top but obviously it won't work because it will just keep falling off to the back.

It's a A- property in an A+ location.

Well that reminds me of a tenant I had several years ago.  I rented to a divorced husband whose daughter came around two days every week.  Ex wife and daughter stayed at their house.

Tenant reported broken window.  Absolutely no idea how window glass was broken.  Came home one day and broken glass.  I couldn't figure out how it happened and thought may be the lawn service crew while mowing the grass kicked up a pebble and thrown a projectile towards the window...possible.

So I got a window glass company there to repair it.  While there the daughter came to his place while Dad was still at work.  The daughter apologized to me for breaking the window.  She told her dad she broke it before he told me.  Yet her dad lied to me.

Technically anything that requires a tool to install or remove is a fixture.

Even something as simple as a screwdriver.

In my lease I allow tenants to go crazy on hanging pictures, drape rods, tapestry, wall hooks etc etc etc...I will not charge them when they move out as long as holes are < 1/4".  Drywall repairs is quick and easy and touch up painting is to be expected.  Now if they use a toggle bolt that''s impossible to remove without enlarging the hole to 1/2" then yes, I would charge those as damages.

Exterior concrete walls I do not allow installation of anything without prior written approval.

From a landlord's perspective, I would recommend the tenant get this dog.

Model:B9108 SKU:6315620

Best Buy has it for $119.99.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/joy-for-all-companion-pet-pup-golden/6315620.p?skuId=6315620&ref=212&loc=1&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoKzsBRC5ARIsAITcwXFnuOhnzI-lnMFUTyoBHWWmCMZYvWGyp_4Hm4EcS00OdRV4K5JJOGwaAsllEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds